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Mini #396 · Saturday

Our Mini Crossword Hints: October 31, 2026

Step-by-step hints for Mini #396, our own daily mini crossword. Looking for the New York Times Mini? That’s a different puzzle, published on nytimes.com.

Play puzzle firstAnswer key
All hints
10 clues
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Across

1 Across: Young horseHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about baby animals on a farm.
  2. Hint 2: This is the word for a baby male horse, often seen frolicking in a pasture.
  3. Hint 3: A young male horse, this word starts with C.
5 Across: Rental truck for a moveHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what you rent when moving to a new house or apartment.
  2. Hint 2: This is a well-known company name that's become a generic term for a moving truck rental.
  3. Hint 3: A truck you rent for moving, this answer starts with U.
7 Across: Leader of a synagogueHint
  1. Hint 1: This person leads religious services in a particular faith.
  2. Hint 2: Think of the spiritual leader of a Jewish congregation.
  3. Hint 3: The head clergy member of a synagogue, this word starts with R.
8 Across: Oaks and maplesHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about tall plants found in forests and parks.
  2. Hint 2: Oaks and maples are specific types of these woody plants.
  3. Hint 3: The general word for oaks, maples, and similar tall plants, this word starts with T.
9 Across: Snow queen in Disney's 'Frozen'Hint
  1. Hint 1: Think of a popular animated movie about two royal sisters.
  2. Hint 2: She's the icy-powered queen who sings 'Let It Go.'
  3. Hint 3: The Snow Queen character from Disney's 'Frozen,' this name starts with E.

Down

1 Down: Rudely briefHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about someone's tone when they're being short with you.
  2. Hint 2: This describes a brusque or sharply abrupt manner of speaking.
  3. Hint 3: Meaning rudely brief or blunt, this word starts with C.
2 Down: Chicago airport with the code ORDHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about a major travel hub in the Midwest.
  2. Hint 2: This is the common name for Chicago's main international airport.
  3. Hint 3: The airport with the code ORD, this name starts with O.
3 Down: Sticker on a jarHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about what's printed or stuck on packaging to identify contents.
  2. Hint 2: This is the small paper or adhesive tag that tells you what's inside a container.
  3. Hint 3: A sticker giving info about a jar's contents, this word starts with L.
4 Down: The London Underground, informallyHint
  1. Hint 1: Think about a casual British term for a public transportation system.
  2. Hint 2: Londoners often use this informal nickname for their underground train system.
  3. Hint 3: A slang term for the London Underground, this word starts with T.
6 Down: Mona ___ (da Vinci painting)Hint
  1. Hint 1: Think of a famous piece of art hanging in the Louvre.
  2. Hint 2: This is the first name of da Vinci's famous smiling subject.
  3. Hint 3: Part of the name of the famous da Vinci painting, this word starts with L.

Use hints slowly

Reveal the first hint, try the grid again, then come back only if the crossing letters still do not move.

See answers

Before you open a hint

Mini #396 has ten clues, so this page holds 30 hints. Hint 1 points you at the idea, hint 2 narrows it down, and hint 3 all but gives it away. On this date, all ten third hints name the answer's first letter.

Short answers have the fewest possible fills, so they make a good start. The four-letter slots are 1-Across, 9-Across, 1-Down and 6-Down; the five-letter slots are 5-Across, 7-Across, 8-Across, 2-Down, 3-Down and 4-Down.

Clues to try first

  • 6-Down, “Mona ___ (da Vinci painting)”, is a fill-in-the-blank: say the phrase out loud and the missing word often jumps out.
  • Some clues lean on a name or title, such as 9-Across, “Snow queen in Disney's 'Frozen'”, 2-Down, “Chicago airport with the code ORD”, 4-Down, “The London Underground, informally” and 6-Down, “Mona ___ (da Vinci painting)”; if one is unfamiliar, work its crossing answers first.

More for October 31, 2026

Rather see the grid first? Play Mini #396. When you're done, the answer key reveals one answer at a time, and the printable copy is there for paper solvers. The day before, Mini #395 (October 30, 2026), opens with 1-Across, “Deep unconscious state”.

October 31, 2026 Mini Crossword hints FAQ

Are these hints for the October 31, 2026 Mini Crossword?
Yes. Every clue on this page is from our own October 31, 2026 puzzle, with three hints each, from a gentle nudge to a strong push. The answers themselves are on the answer key page.
Is this the NYT Mini hints page?
No. This is an independent daily mini crossword. It is not affiliated with, authorized by, sponsored by, or endorsed by The New York Times.
What is the difference between hints and the answer key?
Hints move you toward the answer one step at a time so you can still solve it yourself. If you want to see a solution outright, the answer key at /answers/2026-10-31 reveals one answer at a time.